NCC Proposes New Rules to Ensure Fair Telecom Competition

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has unveiled draft business rules for Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs), seeking to establish a transparent regulatory framework that promotes fair competition, safeguards consumers and broadens access to telecommunications services.

The proposed guidelines were presented during the recent Mobile Virtual Network Operator Business Rules Stakeholders’ Consultative Forum in Abuja, where industry players reviewed the framework expected to govern the relationship between MVNOs and Mobile Network Operators (MNOs).

Speaking at the forum, the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NCC, Dr Aminu Maida, said the draft rules were designed to provide certainty for operators and foster a transparent business environment for virtual network providers and their host operators.

Maida, represented by the Commission’s Director of Licensing and Authorisation, Usman Mamman, said the framework clearly outlines the rights and obligations of both parties to minimise disputes and encourage sustainable competition.

He explained that the proposed rules address critical operational issues, including licensing, onboarding procedures, technical integration, interconnection, infrastructure access, quality of service, revenue sharing, consumer protection and dispute resolution.

“The MVNO business rules are designed to provide clarity on licensing, operational responsibilities and relationships with host network operators while safeguarding consumer interest and market integrity,” he said.

According to Maida, the Commission developed the draft after extensive consultations with operators and other stakeholders to better understand implementation challenges encountered since the introduction of the MVNO licensing regime.

He said the framework is intended to eliminate uncertainties surrounding commercial negotiations, access to network resources and technical integration, while ensuring compliance with existing regulatory requirements.

Tracing the evolution of the initiative, Maida disclosed that the NCC first explored the introduction of MVNOs in 2017 after commissioning studies to assess the readiness of Nigeria’s telecommunications market.

He said the findings confirmed that the sector had matured sufficiently to support virtual network operators, leading to the introduction of a five-tier MVNO licensing framework in 2023.

The NCC boss revealed that the Commission has so far issued 46 MVNO licences across the five licence categories.

He, however, noted that implementation experience over the past two years exposed the need for a comprehensive set of business rules to govern commercial and technical engagements between MVNOs and their host network operators.

Earlier, the NCC’s Head of Legal and Regulatory Services, Chizua Whyte, said MVNOs have the potential to deepen competition by introducing innovative business models, serving niche markets and extending telecommunications services to unserved and underserved communities.

She explained that because virtual operators lease network capacity from existing operators rather than deploy their own infrastructure, they can enter the market with lower capital investment, creating more options for consumers without duplicating network assets.

Whyte added that the proposed framework would create a balanced regulatory environment for both MVNOs and MNOs, while providing certainty for investors and supporting sustainable growth in the telecommunications industry.

Also speaking, President of the Association of Mobile Virtual Network Operators, Ken Nwabueze, described the consultative forum as timely, saying practical lessons from operators already active in the market should shape the final version of the framework.

Nwabueze, whose company launched Nigeria’s first operational MVNO in October 2025, identified revenue sharing and regulatory enforcement as the two major issues requiring attention.

“The two big elephants in the room are revenue sharing and enforcement. As we define these rules, the Association of Mobile Virtual Network Operators pleads with you to make enforcement a key part of it,” he said.

Under the proposed framework, MVNOs, which provide mobile services by leasing network capacity from established telecom operators instead of building their own infrastructure, will operate under clearly defined business rules alongside MNOs such as MTN, Airtel, Globacom and 9mobile.